10 Reasons to Travel Alone as a Single Woman
Full disclosure – I’m not a single woman anymore, but when I switched from passive bystander to active world traveler, I was. I didn’t have a regular travel buddy in the same way I have now. That being said, when I’m asked about the best vacation I’ve ever been on, I think about my first few vacations that I took solo. I hear often from readers (and watchers) of my blog and social media who wish that they too could travel, but they have no one to travel with them.
Here are the ten reasons that this should never stop you, young, single woman, from traveling wherever you want.
1. You get to make your own schedule.
The biggest benefit to being beside yourself is deciding where you want to go and when you want to do it. If you want to spend all day at a museum, or only five minutes, that’s entirely up to you.
2. You will make friends with strangers.
At some point, you’re going to want to talk to someone. Anyone. Really. Strangers! That’s who is there for you! I’ve made some wonderful friends by visiting with people I’ve met while traveling. It’s a good way to meet new people, make new connections, and to become better at meeting new people.
3. You will learn to trust your gut, more than ever before.
There isn’t anyone with you to second-guess your decisions with you, so you have to decide what you feel is right on your own. The thing that most people ask about me travelling alone is whether I have ever felt unsafe. The answer is honestly, yes. There are times I have felt unsafe, but it hasn’t escalated because I have trusted my gut. If something feels like a good decision, I’ve gone with it, and if it’s felt bad or unsafe or uneasy, I’ve left the situation immediately. It’s liberating to become in touch with your instincts enough to do this.
4. You can eat whatever you want without fear of judgment.
Enough said. Spending a ghastly $14 on a cronut in NYC? Remember when that was popular? Well, no one judged me for it. Want to eat weird stuff? Want to only eat McDonald's? Whatever, it's totally up to you!
5. You will be confronted by cultural differences much more so than if you are traveling in a group.
Muslim countries as a solo woman…less easy. The cultural differences wherever you go are amplified when you are by yourself. Beyond just being in Morocco, even being in any different place, you are in a place to be confronted by cultural differences. I found it was helpful to use these as learning experiences.
6. How close you get to the end of your comfort zone is totally up to you.
You can spend your whole vacation firmly in your comfort zone, or start to push it a little bit. Again, you are the master of your schedule, so you can get as adventurous or not as you would like.
7. You will learn that people are helpful and good.
People are nice to you when you’re on your own. They want to help you. It is something that greatly restores your faith in humanity. People are nicer and more kind than you can ever imagine when you let them.
8. You will be decisive.
All of those decision are on you – you’ll learn to make decisions faster and smoother than ever before!
9. You will learn to tell the difference between a vacation and an adventure.
Okay, we’ve all seen those girls on Instagram who loooove travel but spend all of their time sitting on beaches in resorts that all look the same. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a fun time, but it’s not an adventure. You are going to see the difference between a vacation and an adventure, and know when it’s the right time for a vacation or the right time for an adventure.
10. You will learn how to be independent so that when you are traveling with someone, you feel confident in your choices.
My mother once told me, unkindly, I thought at the time, that I did not do well alone. She was right. I didn’t do well making decisions on my own or trying new things without a lot of affirmation. I can happily say that this isn’t the case. You have to learn to be confident and happy alone before you’ll be confident and happy traveling with someone else. I can say that my trips after my solo stints have been more fulfilling and better for having been by myself for a while.
I hope that this post gives you, young, single woman, the motivation to go have an adventure, on your own. Trust your gut, stay safe, and make some new friends.
